MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING AND PUBLIC HEARING OF THE CORNWALL                     PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION HELD ON JUNE 8, 2004.

 

 

A Regular Meeting of the Cornwall Planning and Zoning Commission was held at 7:30 pm on Tuesday, June 8, 2004, in the Cornwall Town Hall. Present were: Chairman Richard Lynn, presiding; members David Colbert, Anne Kosciusko and Doc Simont; alternates Heidi Kearns and Karen Stevens. Heidi and Karen were designated to vote for absent members. The Meeting adjourned to the Public Hearing at 7:40pm and reconvened at 8:18pm.

 

PUBLIC HEARING

 

Special Permit #189                Town of Cornwall, Pine St.

                                                To construct a ball field, parking lot, and recreation center

 

 

First Selectman Gordon Ridgway presented the application.  He explained that the original reason for purchasing the property on Furnace Brook Road was to create a safer parking area. for the existing playing fields. They found that there was room for an additional playing field after the purchase. The proposed walking path has been extended to the brook to allow for 80% of the walking distance from Bolton Hill Road to the playing fields to be off the highway. Mr. Ridgway will meet with the State Traffic Commission and Dan McGuinness next week to discuss the possibility of a footbridge across the brook and a crosswalk at the foot of Pierce Lane. The Town purchased 8 acres, but only 4 acres will be used. The existing spruce trees will remain. The bus turnaround has been reduced. Approximately 45 non-delineated parking spaces will be available. There is no plan to pave the parking area at this time, it will remain gravel. The field, walking path and parking area will be constructed first. Paving and the pavilion will be done at a later date if the funds are available. The field will be used by girls and younger players. The playing field at CCS will be upgraded for older boys. An erosion and sedimentation control plan and fertilizer plan have been submitted. A draft of an easement has been obtained from the Besozzi family. The Town will give a small parcel of land in exchange for the easement across the BesozziÕs driveway. A town meeting will be held during the summer regarding the exchange.

 

Virginia Sullivan, an abutting neighbor to the property, expressed concerns about: 1. the habitat of wood ducks, herons and other small animals living near the property; 2. the possibility of the property becoming a hangout for teens; 3. the possibility of children drowning in her pond which abuts the property. Mr. Ridgway said that no wetlands were to be disturbed and the trees will be left to buffer the noise, therefore the bird and animal habitats will not be affected. The facility will be closed after dark, no lights will be installed and a sign will be posted stating the rules and regulations of the facility. If it becomes a hangout, the police will be called. Some sort of barrier will be constructed to prevent access to Mrs. SullivanÕs pond.

 

Catherine Tatge, who lives across Furnace Brook Road from the property, asked if hedging will be planted to act as a visual buffer from her home. Mr. Ridgway said that some trees will be planted, but they can not interfere with sight distances to and from the entrance of the parking area. Land Use

Administrator Karl Nilsen has reviewed the plans and the erosion and sedimentation control plan and sees no problems. The project has been approved for funding through a town meeting. If approved by

 

 

 

the Planning and Zoning Commission, construction can begin even though the town meeting for the easement exchange has not yet been held. No one spoke against the application and the hearing on it was closed at 8:18pm.  A tape recording was made and is a part of these Minutes.

 

 

R E G U L A R     M E E T I N G

 

The Minutes of the Regular Meeting of May 11, 2004 were approved as presented.

 

APPLICATIONS FOR ZONING PERMITS

 

The monthly report of zoning permit activity by staff was briefly reviewed

 

 

OLD BUSINESS

 

Special Permit #189                Town of Cornwall, Pine St.

                                                To construct a ball field, parking lot, and recreation center

 

Rick Lynn proposed the following motion: To approve Special Permit #189 for the Town of Cornwall to construct a ball field, parking lot and recreation center as described on a map entitled ÒSite Plan Prepared for Town of CornwallÓ and dated May 20, 2004 because the proposed project is in the best interests of the community and consistent with the Town Plan of Conservation and Development and the Zoning Regulations. This approval is contingent upon the following conditions:

 

  1. A split rail fence and/or signage shall be provided along the property lines in the vicinity of the existing fields if requested by the abutting property owners.

 

  1. Signage will be posted with the rules for the facility.

 

  1. An appropriate vegetative buffer will be established to screen the proposed parking lot.

 

  1. No light, paving or pavilion is included with this permit approval. Should these be desired at a later date, an application should be submitted to Planning and Zoning for approval.                                                                   

 

The motion was seconded. There was discussion about whether or not to add a condition concerning the easement exchange. Mr. Ridgway explained that there is a verbal understanding for voluntary access. If the exchange does not occur, the property may be taken by eminent domain. He stated that it will not affect the project. It was unanimously voted to approve the proposed motion without adding a condition about the exchange.

 

 

It was unanimously voted to change the order of the agenda to accommodate those present.

 

 

 

 

 

NEW BUSINESS                

 

8-24 Referral                           Transfer of property on Route 4 in exchange for easement

 

Doc Simont asked what would happen if truck drivers needed to access Duke BesozziÕs sawmill at a time when there was pedestrian traffic to the fields. Mr. Ridgway stated that pedestrian crossing signs would be posted. It was unanimously voted to endorse the proposed project as consistent with the Town Plan of Conservation and Development and in the best interests of the community.

 

 

OLD BUSINESS (continued)

 

Commission                            Update of Planning Tasks

 

Rick has met with Karl regarding the subdivision regulations that Heidi Kearns had proofread. There were no reports from other subcommittees.

 

 

COMMUNICATIONS

 

Rick was approached by a Cornwall college student who is familiar with GIS mapping. He/she is not in a position to do the actual mapping, but may be willing to do some work to get hands on experience during the summer. The Commission needs someone to pull all of the information together in order to get the proposed mapping done. Rick asked if the Commission was interested in paying a nominal fee for this work. Commission members felt that the Housatonic Valley Association would be a better place to obtain hands-on experience and that they were not comfortable using budgeted money to pay a non-professional. The Commission would be willing to accept the help if it were as a volunteer.

 

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ADJOURNMENT

 

The meeting was adjourned at 9:07pm.                      

                                                                        Vera Dinneen, Land Use Clerk

 

 

NOTE – THESE MINUTES ARE A DRAFT.  THEY WILL BE NOTED AS FINAL ONLY AFTER THEY ARE REVIEWED AND APPROVED AS DRAFTED OR AS MODIFIED AT A SUBSEQUENT MEETING OF THE CORNWALL P&Z COMMISSION.